APPLICANT'S ABSTRACT: This is an application for competitive renewal of a training grant in Psychoneuroimmunology and Substance Abuse. The central principle underlying the proposed program is that progress toward understanding the interactions between substances of abuse and the nervous and immune systems, and the role of these interactions in the pathogenesis of HIV, requires the training of young, bright scientists (pre- and post- doctoral students) in this highly interdisciplinary field. The training emphasizes mastery of the interdisciplinary knowledge base and research methodologies which are essential to this emerging field of investigation. Understanding the impact of drug abuse on the brain immune axis will be the goal of the training. To accomplish this, the educational structure includes a formal pre-doctoral curriculum in Psychoneuroimmunology and Substance Abuse, a declared graduate school minor in Psychoneuroimmunology, a formal course in Neuro-immune Interactions, an active seminar and conference schedule and research linkages with faculty across the relevant disciplines. The primary training faculty includes scientists with M.D. and/or Ph.D. degrees in neuroendocrinology, neuroscience, medicinal chemistry, infectious diseases, psychology and immunology who are conversant with a wide array of research methodologies. The faculty will be able to train individuals in this interdisciplinary field, from physiological, pathobiological and medical perspectives. In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and analytical skills, the training program will emphasize research in laboratory-based Psychoneuroimmunology and Substance Abuse, sponsored by one primary and one secondary trainer who represent complementary scientific disciplines central to the field of Psychoneuroimmunology and Substance Abuse. As a result of its organization, curriculum, tutorials, and interdisciplinary research environment, this training program will develop scientists who have both the knowledge and direct experience necessary to continue active research careers in the field of Psychoneuroimmunology and Substance Abuse. To date, five pre-doctoral students have been admitted to the training program over the past three years and the first student will graduate in nine months. The success of past training and a significant applicant pool of candidates points to the need for additional positions. We request in this grant nine pre-doctoral positions, and increase of four over the previous grant, for the next five years. Sixteen post-doctoral trainees have been admitted to the program. Six have completed training, and hold positions with academic and research institutions. We request ten post-doctoral positions, which would maintain the current number of positions. Thus, the program is successfully developing biomedical scientists with the knowledge and experience which enables them to continue research on Psychoneuroimmunoloy and Substance Abuse.